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Physical metaphor

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A metaphor that draws its comparison from the material or bodily world

Detailed Definition
A Physical metaphor equates an intangible concept with a concrete object or bodily experience, making the abstract perceptible through the senses; for instance, describing betrayal as “a shard of glass in the palm” transforms emotional pain into a sharp, immediate physical sensation.
Example
Example in poetry:
In “O Captain! My Captain!”, the ship is a physical metaphor for the nation; In “The Road Not Taken,” the path is a physical metaphor for choice; In “Because I could not stop for Death,” the carriage is a physical metaphor for mortality; In “The Flea,” the insect is a physical metaphor for union.
Additional Notes
Physical metaphor: Comparing ideas through physical objects or sensations; adds vividness and grounding.
Also Known As
Corporeal figure Fleshly metaphor Concrete trope Concrete metaphor Concrete comparison
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